Cop-tube holder



G. N. TAYLOR COP TUBE HOLDER July 10, 1934.

Filed June 20, 1952- ?atentecl July 10, 1934 men stares PATET OFFICEApplication June 20, 1932, Serial No. 618,354

11 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved mandrel or holder for supportingcop-tubes in winding yarn or thread thereon. The present improvementrelates particularly to a mandrel or holder for porous cop-tubes, forexample, tubes of the contractible type covered with fabric sheaths andemployed as axial supports for yarn packages in dyeing and similarprocesses.

In the following specification and claims the term yarn is used in ageneral sense to indicate all kinds of textile materials and the termpackage is intended to apply broadly to any form of wound mass of suchmaterial.

The present invention has for a particular object to provide an improvedcop-tube holder for use in supporting contractible cop-tubes of the typeillustrated and described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 974,127 to F. H.Daniell and J. C. Hebden, granted November 1, 1910 and Re. No. 13,223 toF. H. Daniell, granted March 28, 1911.

Such cop-tubes are widely used at the present time in what is known asThe Franklin process of dyeing and similarly treating textiles. In itssimplest form the contractible cop-tube comprises a helical coil or wirespring constituting a cylindrical ribbed framework covered by a sheathor stockinet of reticulated fabric. The yarn is wound on this type oftube directly upon the sheath or stockinet to form cylindrical orotherwise shaped cops or packages suitablefor dyeing and like treatmentby forcing fluids therethrough.

One object of the present invention is to provide a holder of the typespecified for supporting porous cop-tubes to adapt them to be rotated ata high rate of speed to wind the yarn thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the typespecified adapted to support the skeleton framework of the cop-tube andhaving means for gripping the fabric sheath or stockinet at the endsthereof to stretch and hold it taut whereby to prevent its ends frombeing drawn inwardly to interfere with the proper winding of the packagethereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the typespecified having means for securing the cop-tube in place thereon toadapt it to rotate therewith on the spindle or other bearing element ofthe winding machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the typespecified whereon the cop-tube may be conveniently and expeditiouslyplaced and the ends of its fabric sheath gripped to hold it stretched onits support.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the typespecified which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture andconvenient in use for the purposes described.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the followingspecification which describes a preferred form of construction of thedevice, by way 60 of example, as illustrated by the accompanyingdrawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the present improved holder with a cop-tubesupported thereon and illustrating in section the yarn mass wound on thetube;

Fig. 2 is a view of the holder shown partly in section at one end andillustrating the cop-tube held thereon in longitudinal section; and

Fig. 3 is a view of the holder and the cop-tube thereon showing the endmembers of the holder in detached or disassembled relationship.

With fabric-covered cop-tubes of the character hereinbefore referred to,either of contractible or rigid type, considerable dificulty hasheretofore been experienced during the first stages of winding the yarnthereon due to the fact that the fabric sheath or stockinet is notsecurely held at its ends to prevent its center portion from bellyingoutwardly under the eifect of centrifugal force induced by the rapidrotation of the tube, thus causing the ends of the stockinet to be drawninwardly from the ends of its support. With the stockinet improperlysecured at its ends the bulging of its center portion causes the fabricto become wrinkled and bunched as the yarn is wound thereon, therebypreventing the disposition of the coils of yarn in smooth, uniformlayers. If the initial layers of winding are not properly wound thewhole package becomes malformed and unsuitable for treatment in thedyeing or similar process and as a further defect the yarn cannot beunwound freely therefrom in the later processes in which it is used.

When no means are provided for securing the fabric sheath of stockinetat its ends the ends will fly out under the action of centrifugal forceand when the tube is used on a drum winding machine the loose ends willstrike against the driving drum and become frayed and ragged. Thesefrayed ends are drawn inwardly and caught under the coils of yarn as thelatter are wound onto the cop-tube, thereby further causing unevennessand irregularity in the first layers of winding to prevent the freedelivery of the yarn when it is desired to unwind it from the package.Such irregularities and defects in the winding, besides preventing freedelivery of the material in unwinding it from' the package, also resultsin the matting of portions of the yarn so that the mass is not ofuniform porosity throughout the whole wound mass. Moreover, thestockinet is liable to slip and slide rotatively of the circumference ofits support or framework so that the cop-tube will not be properlyrotated from the drive-roll or drum during the initial stages of thewinding. Such improper functioning of the cop-tube with respect to itsholder results in defective winding and malformed packages which in manycases must be rewound to put the mate rial into proper condition fordyeing or like treatment.

To overcome the above stated defects and deficiencies of devicespreviously used in the winding art, the present invention contemplatesan improved holder or mandrel for porous and contractible cop-tubeshaving means embodied therein for gripping the fabric sheath orstockinet at its ends whereby to maintain it stretched substantiallytaut on its support or framework and to secure it for rotation therewithwith a smooth, practically unbroken surface on its periphery. In brief,the present improved holder provides for supporting the contractibletube in a substantially rigid state throughout its entire length .toprevent lateral distortion thereof; for gripping both the tube and itsstockinet sheath to the holder to adapt them to rotate as a unittherewith; and for holding the covering sheath or stockinet in stretchedcondition to provide a uniformly smooth, level and substantiallyinflexible surface for receiving the yarn windings.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in Fig. 1 the reference numeral 2 indicates theholder in general and 3 designates the coptube supported thereon withthe yarn mass sur-- rounding its periphery in the form of a cylindricalpackage, shown in section and indicated by the reference character C. Inthe type of contractible cop-tube 3 herein illustrated the outer fabricsheath or stockinet 4 is supported by a skeleton framework constitutedby a helically coiled flat band or spiral wire 5. The yarn may be woundon the cop-tube 3 in overlying layers comprising crossing turns witheach layer extending substantially the entire length of the tube. Thepackage C may be produced with what is termed an open. wind, that is,with the yarn turns spaced slightly apart to render the masssufiiciently porous for the permeation of the;

dye liquor or other fluid thereinto during the dyeing or similar processto which it is subjected. With the present improved cop-tube holder theyarn may be wound more uniformly in the first or starting layers of thepackage with the turns or convolutions evenly distributed to obtain agreater uniformity of density in the mass and hence improve theconditions for hydraulic or fluid treatment.

In drum-driven winding machines the coptube is supported on a holderwhich is rotatably mounted with respect to a drive-roll or drum to adaptthe tube for peripheral contact therewith to effect the drivingoperation. The yarn is deposited on the cop-tube by suitable traversingmeans such as a helically grooved roll or a reciprocating thread-guidewhich constantly traverses the strand from one end of the package to theother.

In accordance with the present invention the improved cop-tube holder 2is constituted by a cylindrical sleeve or mandrel 10 adapted to bereceived within the helical or otherwise ribbed framework of thecop-tube 3 and having end members 11 by means of which it may berotatably mounted on the spindle of a winding machine. The end members11 are detachable from the sleeve 10 and provided with means forgripping and binding the fabric sheath 4. of the cop-tube at the endsthereof to hold it stretched longitudinally of its framework to providean'unbroken surface on the periphery of the tube.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention the cylindricalshell or sleeve 10 is constructed of seamless tubing and the end members11 may be made of wood, fiber or any other suitable material. Each endmember or head 11 has a cylindrical portion adapted to fit within theend of the sleeve 10 and at its outer end is an enlarged annular flange12. The end members 11 are bored axially at 13 with the diameter of thebore such as to adapt it to freely fit the spindle on which the holderrotates. Preferably, the members 11 have counterbores in their outerends as shown at 15 in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

To provide means for detachably securing the end members 11 within theends of the sleeve 10 the reduced cylindrical portions of said membersare formed with screw threads 16 engageable with suitable means on theinterior of the sleeve. In the present construction the reducedportions-of the end members 11 are provided with metal sheaths 14, forexample, lengths of seamless tubing which may be rolled or otherwiseshaped to form the threads 16 surrounding their ends. The sheaths orsleeves 14 on the end members 11 fit snugly around the reduced portionsthereof and may be secured in place by indenting the metal to provideprongs for penetration into the material of the end members. Theindenting of the metal may be done with a prick-punch or like tool thusproviding for economical manufacture and at the same time insuring afirm joint between the parts.

, The interior of the sleeve 10 may be formed with rolled or embossedthreads corresponding to those on the end members if desired, butpreferably, in accordance with the present embodiment of the invention,the threads in the sleeve are only partial. Referring to Fig. 3 of thedrawing, the sleeve 10 is herein shown as being indented to providerelatively short angularly-disposed projections 17 on its interior forengaging with the threads 16 on the end members 11. The end members orheads 11 are inserted into the ends of the sleeve 10 and by imparting aslight relative rotative movement thereto the threads 16 will engagewith the projections 17 to draw the end members into place with theshoulders of their flanges 12 engaging snugly against the ends of thesleeve. The reduced body portions of the end members 11 fit ratherloosely within the ends of the sleeve 10 whereof the ends of the fabricsleeve or stockin e t 4 may be folded into the open ends of the holderand bound into place by the end members. In use the improved cop-tubeholder operates as follows:

The cop-tube 3 consisting of the helical coil or spring 5 covered by thefabric sheath or stockinet 4,-is slipped into place on the holder sleeve16, and usually the'latter is made somewhat shorter than the cop-tube sothat the spring will be contracted longitudinally to a slight extentwhen held in place on the holder. After the cop-tube 3 has been placedon the sleeve 19 @116 82 .15 of the stockinet 4 are, folded or tuckedlib into the ends thereof as indicated at the right in Fig. 3. The endmember or plug 11 is then inserted into the end of the sleeve 10 toengage its threads 16 with the projections 17 on the interior of theholder and by giving the end member a slight rotative movement it isdrawn into the sleeve or shell 10 to cause its shouldered flange 12 tobind against the inturned end of the stockinet 4.

The fabric sheath or stockinet 4 is next drawn taut towards the oppositeend of the sleeve 10 and this end of the stockinet tucked into placewhile the fabric is held in stretched condition by the operatorsfingers. The other end member 11 is then screwed into place in themanner as previously explained to bind this end of the stockinet, 4between the flange 12 on the end member and the end of the sleeve 10.With the two end members 11 thus screwed snugly into place the outerfabric sheath or stoclrinet 4 will be held in stretched conditionbetween the ends of the sleeve 10 to provide a smooth unbroken surfaceon the periphery of the cop-tube for receiving the yarn windings. As theend members 11 are applied to the holder 2 their flanges 12 engage theends of the cop-tube 3 to effect a slight contraction in the length ofthe helical coil or spring 5 whereby its ends will be frictionallyengaged with the flanges on the end members to connect the parts forunitary rotation.

The holder 2 and its assembled cop-tube 3 may be placed on thewinding-spindle by inserting the latter through the bores 13 in the endmembers 11 to provide for rotation of the cop-tube with its holder. Ifdesired, the end members 11 may be constructed of lubricantimpregnatedmaterial so as to provide oilless bearings for the cop-tube holder onthe winding or other machine. During the winding operation the yarn isdeposited on the periphery of the cop-tube 3 overlying the fabric sheathor stockinet 4 with the turns or convolutions crossing and recrossing tobuild up in layers culminating in a cylindrical or other form of yarnpackage as indicated at C in Fig. 1. At the completion of the windingoperation the end members or heads 11 are unscrewed and withdrawn fromthe sleeve 10 of the holder 2 and the cop-tube 3 may then be removed andthe package applied to the dyeing or other process for which the yarnhas been prepared.

In some processes of dyeing, rigid perforated cop-tubes are employed inplace of the contractible skeleton tube illustrated in the presentdrawing. It is usually desirable to cover such tubes with fabric sheathsor stockinets, however, and the present improved holder is adapted forsupporting such a type of cop-tube as well as that herein described andillustrated.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present inventionprovides a particularly simple yet convenient form of holder forsupporting coptubes or carriers of yarn masses in the form of dye cops.The device islight'in weight, economical in its cost of manufacture,while at the same time being strong and rigid to support the cop-tubesunder the constrictive action of masses of yarn wound thereon.

The present improved holder further provides means incorporated thereinfor gripping and holdingthe ends of the fabric sheath or stockinet atthe ends of the cop-tube to prevent these ends from drawing inwardlyunder the tendency of the stockinet to balloon or fly outwardly at itscenter portion. The gripping or holding of the ends of the stockinet inthe manner explained also prevents the ends of the fabric from flyingradially outward to cause them to strike against the driving drum andbecome frayed and ragged from such contact. Thus, besides preventing thefrayed ends from interfering with the winding of the yarn on thecop-tube the invention further protects the sheath or stockinet of thetube from wear and disintegration whereby to render it more durable inuse.

As a further feature of the invention the means for holding the fabricsleeve or stockinet stretched longitudinally of its support tendsto-prevent it from being drawn in between the ribs of the framework bythe constriction of the coils of winding wound on its surface and thuspermits the package to be more readily withdrawn from its holder uponcompletion of the winding operation.

While the improved device is herein described and illustrated asembodied in a preferred form of construction, it is to be understoodthat modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of itsparts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. A device of the character specified comprising a mandrel for holdinga cop-tube embodying an outer flexible sheath, and end members havingscrew-engagement with the mandrel and provided with means for grippingthe ends of the flexible sheath against the ends of the mandrel to holdsaid sheath stretched under tension.

2. In a holder for a cop-tube constituted by an inner support covered byan outer flexible sheath, the combination of a hollow mandrel forreceiving the inner support. of the cop-tube with the ends of its sheathdisposed within the ends of the mandrel, and end members attachable tothe ends of the mandrel and provided with shoulders for gripping theends of the sheath thereagainst.

3. A holder for a cop-tube embodying an outer flexible sheath, saidholder comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve having a relatively thinwall, and end members adapted to be received within the ends of saidsleeve, said sleeve and end members having interengaging means fordetachably securing the end members in place, and said end membershaving shoulders adapted to abut the ends of the sleeve to bind againstthe inturned ends of a flexible sheath enclosing the cop-tube.

4. In a holder for cop-tube, the combination of a cylindrical sleeve,end members having por- 1 tions adapted to be received within the endsof the sleeve and provided with tubular metal sheaths surrounding saidportions, and cooperating screw threads on the metal sheaths of the endmembers and the interior of the sleeve.

5. In a holder for a cop-tube covered by a flexible stockinet, thecombination of a hollow mandrel formed with interior projections at itsends, and end members adapted to be received within the ends of themandrel and provided with screw threads for engaging the projectionstherein to detachably secure said end members in position at the ends ofthe mandrel, said end members formed with shouldered abutments adaptedto bind the inturned ends of the flexible stockinet against the ends ofthe mandrel.

6. In a holder for cop-tubes, the combination of a cylindrical shellindented at its ends to provide projections on its interior, cylindricalend members having portions adapted to be received within the ends ofsaid shell and provided with annular flanges at their ends, and tubularmetal sheaths enclosing the end members and formed with screw threadsadapted to engage the projections on the interior of the shell todetachably secure the end members thereto with their flanges abuttingthe ends of the shell.

7. In combination, a contractible hollow coptube enclosed by a flexiblefabric sheath, and a holder therefor comprising a rigid sleeve fittingwithin said tube, end members carried by said sleeve and provided withannular portions adapted to abut the ends thereof to bind the ends ofthe flexible sheath thereagainst, and means for detachably securing saidend members to the sleeve.

8. In combination, a contractible hollow coptube enclosed by a porousstockinet, and a holder therefor comprising a rigid cylindrical sleeveadapted to be received within said cop-tube, and end members detachablysecured to the ends of the sleeve and having means for engaging the endsof the contractible tube to hold it in place on the sleeve and to bindthe inturned ends of the stockinet against the ends of the sleeve tomaintain it in stretched condition.

9. In combination, a contractible hollow coptube having a stockinetsheath enclosing its periphery, and a holder for said cop-tubecomprising a central rigid supporting element, and

end members detachably connected with said supporting element and havingmeans for binding the ends of the stockinet against the ends of thesupporting element to hold the same in stretched condition on thecop-tube.

10. In combination, a hollow cop-tube having a flexible fabric cover,and a holder therefor comprising a cylindrical sleeve of less lengththan the hollow cop-tube, said sleeve slidable within said cop-tube, endmembers .removably attachable to the ends of said sleeve, and means onsaid end members for engaging the ends of the cop-tube and the ends ofthe flexible cover to secure the cop-tube rotatively with the holder andto bind the ends of the fabric cover against the ends of the sleeve.

11. In combination, a contractible/ cop-tube consisting in a helicalspring enclosed by a flexible porous sleeve stretched thereover, and aholder therefor comprising a mandrel adapted to fit within the helicalspring of the cop-tube with the ends of the sheath folded into its ends,and and members attachable to the ends of the mandrel and havingportions engaging the folded ends of the sheath to hold it in stretchedcondition on the helical spring.

GEORGE N. TAYLOR.

